Fatal Attraction
by ChoppedLeeks
Summary: If there was one thing in the world that Malik was certain of, it was that his complete and utter infatuation with his twin would never dissipate. Never would, never could. But something told him that his love for Mariku was nothing more than a fatal attraction. Bronzeshipping, AU, incest.
1. Prologue

**IMPORTANT NOTE: **Before you begin reading this, I want you to be aware that this fanfic contains some _very_ disturbing themes. If incest, rape, child abuse, or any sort of violence makes you uncomfortable in any way, feel free to click the back button. I want it to be clear that I do not approve of any of the things listed above. Do I think it's immoral? Yes. Do I think these are interesting concepts to explore through writing? Absolutely. I am merely writing this story because I find it rather fascinating to explore the psychology of an incestuous relationship. That does not mean that I think it is morally justified in the slightest.

That's all I have to say. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Fatal Attraction**

Self-loathing was never an unfamiliar concept to Malik Ishtar.

It felt as if he were born to be a complete abomination, a stain. He was certain that he was destined to be this way, because in all honesty, he'd never felt any different. Even in the early years of his youth, he'd always had that lingering thought prodding in the back of his mind that told him he was unbelievably and utterly fucked up. But the worst part of it all was that his atrocious thoughts and desires were completely beyond his control, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore them, he knew it was all futile.

He couldn't help being in love with his twin brother.

If there was one thing in the world that Malik was certain of, it was that his complete infatuation with his brother was something that would never dissipate. Never would, never could. It was a dirty little desire that had burrowed itself so deep into Malik's fragile psyche to the point where the boy had no perception of right and wrong, morality and immorality. In retrospect, Malik was a complete emotional train wreck.

But one of the few things that Malik was absolutely sure of in this world was that he irrevocably loved Mariku with every fiber of his very being. Mind, body, and soul. Every inch of him craved his twin's love and affection.

Oh, sure. It started out rather chaste and innocent in the beginning. The two twins were inseparable from the moment they learned to walk. They practically spent every second of every day by each other's sides, and they had grown incredibly close.

And when their mother had passed away when they were at the tender age of six, they were constantly clung to each other when in need of solace. Their father's depression had spun out of control directly after their beloved mother passed away, and his coping methods usually consisted of taking out his rage on his own children. It was at this time that Malik's life had taken a sharp decline, and it was also at this time that he started to feel an odd and unfamiliar attraction towards his twin.

As their father's beatings grew more frequent, Malik found himself to be more and more dependent on his brother for comfort. Of course, he had a sister to turn to for consolation, but Malik quickly learned that nobody quite understood him like Mariku did. He never felt safer then when he was in his brother's arms.

It was around the time when Malik hit puberty that his obsession with Mariku took a dark turn. While all of the other boys his age were flaunting their newly found girlfriends, Malik was too busy ogling his beautiful twin. Mariku never seemed to notice his brother's lecherous gaze after all those years, and if he did, he was most certainly not letting on.

Every night, Malik found himself crawling into bed next to his twin, snuggling as close as possible. Mariku never seemed to mind, in fact, he usually returned the warm embrace. It seemed innocent enough.

But Malik quickly started noticing changes. While his attachment towards Mariku had remained a need of emotional support more than anything else, he had observed how it had been morphing into a more physical attraction as of late. He found himself wanting- no, _lusting_ for Mariku's touches. He took notice of subtle things, like the softness of his twin's skin, the silkiness of his unruly blonde hair, the warmth his violet eyes held deep within their irises. It made his body feel hot just thinking about it.

And he had been having dreams, too. Vivid dreams about the two of them participating in acts that he was _certain_ siblings should never be participating in. But his fantasies made him feel content, so that had to mean it was a good thing, right?

Wrong.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. It was just all _so_ fucking wrong. Malik couldn't even count the number of times that word crossed his mind throughout his lifetime. It was a part of his vocabulary that he tried so hard to engrave into his brain, but he never truly seemed to grasp the real meaning of it. The unadulterated love he felt for his twin seemingly blurred the line between right and wrong. He could barely even decipher the difference between the two words anymore.

And even now, Malik Ishtar, who was at the seemingly mature age of seventeen, still couldn't differentiate the two concepts. Nothing had changed. Nothing ever will change.

Malik would never change.

* * *

Minus Malik and Mariku, the house was currently completely vacant. Their father and their sister, Isis, were currently closing up a few final things down at the museum, and probably wouldn't be back until late. This left the two blonde twins alone, with only each other for company.

This never proved to be a good thing, Malik learned. Being left alone in a large, empty house with his twin was always something that made him unbelievably anxious. His heartbeat never seemed to regulate itself, and he constantly had this jittery feeling running throughout his system. The way he acted wasn't far from a lovesick teenager, to be honest.

Well, that may have something to do with the fact that he _is_ one.

Malik sighed softly to himself, shutting his laptop and shoving it to the other side of his bed as he rolled languidly out of his covers. The boy swung his legs off the edge of the bed, toes touching the chilled wooden floors as he heaved himself up. He stretched and yawned, hearing his back pop during the process.

Malik had been too lazy to get out of bed the entire day, since he didn't really have a legitimate reason to. He honestly had nothing planned, and as far as he was concerned, Malik was perfectly content staying in bed while he surfed the Internet on his incredibly cheap laptop. Besides, it seemed like a good idea to avoid Mariku while they were alone together for the day.

Malik, still in his nightshirt and sweatpants, ran his hands through his golden blonde hair once before making his way out of his room, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He had barely gone halfway down the stairs, and he could already hear curses coming from the kitchen. Malik couldn't help but smile to himself and chuckle slightly.

It was around 7 o'clock, the usual dinnertime for the Ishtar family. He could easily tell by the familiar husky voice that it was Mariku who was downstairs, swearing like a sailor. His older twin was obviously attempting to cook the two of them dinner for the night, but was failing miserably. Mariku was a horrible cook, but it's not like he was the only one. Their father gave up on cooking long ago, and often left the house everyday during the afternoon to go to a bar of sorts to get whatever he wished to drink or eat. This usually left Isis and Malik to do all the cooking and cleaning around the house.

Neither Isis nor Malik had a choice, to be honest. It was frustrating, sure, but it was nothing compared to the damage their father did when he got home drunk to find the house to be a complete wreck. Isis, Malik, and Mariku learned long ago to obey their father's demands without question or hesitation... or else.

Malik sighed softly through his nose. Tonight wouldn't be like that, however. He and Mariku were the only occupants of the small house for the night, and that made him feel a lot safer than he usually did. It was a bit nerve-racking to be alone with his twin at times, but it was bearable. Mariku, as violent and moody as he was, was practically an angel compared to their father.

The younger of the two twins continued to make his way down the stairs, his left hand gliding along the rail before he padded quietly into the kitchen. He smirked as his amused eyes were met by the comical sight of Mariku with an apron, leaning over the stove as he practically glared at a pot of water. The older blonde's left hand gripped at the edge of the marble counter, while his right hand was clenching a spatula. Mariku was holding the kitchen utensil in a manner that looked as if he were about to use it to gouge someone's eyes out at any second. Malik had no doubts that that is exactly what Mariku would do if he were to even dare to piss him off in the slightest.

"Having trouble?" Malik gloated as he stepped into the kitchen behind his brother, his smirk still in place.

Mariku didn't even bother to turn around, but his reply was an obvious indication of his grumpy mood. "I'm doing just _peachy_."

The younger blonde pranced directly behind his brother, peering over his shoulder at the pot of water on the stove with a condescending smile on his face. "You know, Mariku... you should probably try turning on the stove. Just a suggestion."

Mariku huffed in exasperation. "Pfft, _please_! I knew that!"

"Of course you did." Malik chuckled, watching as his brother turned on the stove before sluggishly making his way about the kitchen with a sour expression on his face.

Mariku retrieved a box of pasta from the back of one of the cabinets before casting a mischievous glance in Malik's direction. "So what have you been doing up in your bedroom all day, hm? Why don't you share with the class?"

"Just... Internet stuff..." Malik replied quietly, averting his gaze.

"Oh, really? Please, tell me more," the older twin pressed on, not being subtle in the slightest.

Malik simply huffed and rolled his eyes at his brother's naughty implications. Typical Mariku. "I wasn't watching porn, if that's what you're wondering. That's disgusting."

Mariku poured the raw noodles into the boiling water before throwing the empty box away. The blonde leaned against the counter, crossing his arms casually. Malik shifted nervously from side to side, watching as Mariku grinned at him malevolently. "Whatever, Malik. Say, can you go pop in a movie while I'm finishing up dinner?"

The younger blonde nodded immediately, greedily accepting the invitation to escape his brother's line of sight. He made his way into the small living room that connected to the kitchen, subsequently crouching down in front of their shelf full of DVDs. Malik skimmed his fingers across the spines of the DVD cases while furrowing his eyebrows in thought. The boy turned his head around, calling into the kitchen.

"What kind of movie are you looking for, Mariku?"

"Hm... I'm thinking horror." Was the immediate reply.

Malik nodded to himself, although he was rather frustrated with his brother's genre choice. The younger of the two twins was never really good with anything frightening in the least. He was extremely squeamish, something Mariku always thought to be rather comical. The fact that Mariku chose to watch a horror movie made it quite obvious that he was simply looking for yet another opportunity to laugh at Malik. Great.

The younger twin begrudgingly pulled a random DVD out of their long row of horror movies before crawling over to the television. Malik shoved the disc into the DVD player, then stood up and plopped onto the large leather couch. After cuddling up to his favorite pillow, Malik turned on the television. The black screen went staticky for a moment before revealing the movie's menu screen. The younger blonde leaned back and relaxed against the cushioned couch, sighing softly.

"The movie's in." Malik called out to Mariku, before said twin waltzed into the living room, carrying their dinner for the night.

Mariku claimed his spot on the far end of the couch, getting settled before placing the two bowls of obviously undercooked spaghetti on the coffee table. Malik had to smile at the proud expression on his twin's face, despite the fact that the two of them both knew that his cooking belonged nowhere else but in the garbage.

"Bon appétit, my darling." Mariku grinned before pushing play on the remote.

Malik rolled his eyes dramatically, but took a bite or two of his dinner nonetheless. It wasn't excruciatingly awful, in fact it was better than most of the shit Mariku cooked on these rare occasions.

It was barely ten minutes into the movie, but Mariku was already completely engrossed, his dark eyes glued to the screen. Malik could have sworn that he never blinked.

The younger of the two twins, however, was feeling completely sick to his stomach. He was currently curled up on the opposite side of the couch, holding his knees to his chest as he rocked back and forth without abandon. Every time blood would splatter across the screen, Malik would squeak slightly and hide his head between his knees in an attempt to save himself the emotional scarring.

Malik trembled when he heard a dark chuckle from the other side of the large couch. He lifted his face and looked up at Mariku, who currently had his arms spread wide, as if he were awaiting an embrace.

Mariku smiled softly. It wasn't his usual condescending smirk, but an actual smile. For once in his life, Mariku actually looked sincere.

"Come here, Malik."

The younger blonde sniffled before complying, timidly crawling over to the other side of the couch. He instantly crawled into the familiar arms of his brother, nuzzling his face into his warm chest. Malik's fragile little heart fluttered as Mariku wrapped his arms around the shivering body of his twin, burying his face into the younger's soft hair. Malik felt his face heat up considerably fast, making him nuzzle further to hide his blush.

The queasy feeling he had harbored mere moments ago had dissipated at a rapid speed. It was rather incredible what a simple hug could do.

Malik rested his cheek against Mariku's strong chest, listening to the unwavering heartbeat of his twin. It was unbelievably comforting. And despite the screams of unadulterated horror that were blaring from the television, Malik, for once in his life, felt truly safe.

It was rather cheesy, to be honest. Snuggling late in the night while watching a horror movie was a rather common cliché. However, what Malik and Mariku shared was far from common... but it was all they had. It could possibly be all they would ever have.

**END OF CHAPTER 1**

* * *

**End Note:** So, yeah. That's the prologue. This fanfic is probably going to remain 3 to 4 chapters long if things go according to plan.

Reviews are very much appreciated! Please be nice, I'm sensitive!


	2. Shattered

Author's Note: Urgh. I hate this chapter. That's all I have to say.

* * *

Malik slowly opened his heavy eyes, unconsciously taking in his surroundings. He had to blink several times to clear up the sleep that fogged his vision before his eyes slowly focused, the blonde becoming aware of exactly where he was.

The first thing he saw was the blindingly bright television, which was currently rolling the credits of the horror movie that he and Mariku had obviously been watching before the younger of the two fell asleep.

Malik furrowed his eyebrows, languidly forcing himself to sit up. The simple task was quite the struggle for the sleepy teen, but he managed to succeed after a moment or two of incoherent grumbling. Malik wearily glanced around the small room, but, to his dismay, there were absolutely zero signs of Mariku anywhere.

He could vaguely remember falling asleep next to his older twin, but that is unfortunately where his uncertain train of thought ended. Malik was positive that Mariku couldn't have gone to bed; he never went to sleep this early in the night.

The blonde's endless list of questions was immediately answered when he heard something topple over in the kitchen. The abrupt noise was followed by a loud crash, then a prominently triumphant chuckle. Malik swore under his breath before heaving himself off the couch, subsequently stumbling before deciding to make his way into the kitchen.

The sight that greeted him was, in all honesty, not very surprising in the least.

There were at least six glasses shattered on the floor, five of which were empty beer bottles. Malik could make a pretty good guess as to who had gotten into their father's precious stash, since a certain blonde Egyptian looked so smug. Mariku was wobbling to the point where he had to use the fridge for support to keep himself standing, and it was pretty obvious why. He had that telltale glassy look in his eyes, and a lazy smirk across his face as he tilted his head back to take the last swig of his current drink.

Mariku couldn't help but grin at Malik's fuming scowl. "The o-old man really should find a better place to hide his stash. I-I have to say, I miss the challenge."

Malik huffed in exasperation, rushing over to his twin's side to yank the bottle out of his hand, ignoring the pleading whine. The younger of the two hid the bottle behind his back, shielding it from the drunken blonde. Mariku narrowed his dark eyes menacingly, a gesture that would have been enough to send anyone else running for the hills. However, Malik would not be so easily deterred.

"Honestly, Mariku. Are you an idiot, or are you just suicidal?" Malik asked, his question quite rhetorical.

Ignoring the rather rude question, the older blonde tried to reach behind his little brother's back to retrieve his treasured alcohol, but to no avail. Mariku sighed heavily, rolling his hazy eyes. "Neither. I j-just... I just want a couple more sips, o-okay? Is that so much to ask?"

Malik immediately shook his head, remaining stubborn. "A few sips? Mariku, you've had _five_ beers already! There's no way I'm letting you have anymore."

"But-"

"Dad is gonna be home any minute. If he sees you like this, you... you know full and well how he'll react. Just let me clean up the mess, alright?" Malik reasoned, nervously glancing around the room.

Mariku growled and made one last move to steal back the bottle, but Malik quickly caught his arm in a death grip, his sharp nails digging into his tan flesh as a warning. "I said _no_."

The taller one was just about to tear away from his twin's grasp, when the slam of a door caused both of the blondes to freeze in their tracks. Both of their scowls instantly morphed into an expression of unadulterated fear as they peered into each other's identical eyes, a silent message being communicated through the anxious gaze.

They were both _dead_.

A mere second after the loud slam, Isis made her way into the living room, throwing a worried glance at the two twins before readjusting her backpack that hung over her shoulder. The girl's deep blue eyes held a look of sympathy for just a moment before she turned her head and looked away, immediately jogging up the stairs and into her room.

The simple glance was enough to tell a thousand words. Not only did Malik and Mariku know there would be yet another beating tonight, but Isis knew as well. It was typical of her to hide in the solace of her room for the time being. Isis was a rather quiet and sensitive soul, and she could never bear to watch her brothers go through all the torment that they are forced to endure day after day.

Mariku could feel Malik physically shaking, and it was enough for him to snap out of his incoherency, if even for just a moment.

The two heard a cruel chuckle before the very embodiment of all their fears waltzed into the room, a dark grin on his aged face.

Their father. In the flesh.

The man didn't seem angry or even surprised at the sight of the mess the two twins had caused. In fact, he looked... almost _amused_. The lopsided smirk was enough to make a shiver run down Malik's spine.

"Well, well. Looks like I've caught you bitches red-handed, now doesn't it?" their father murmured, his low voice cold and hard.

Malik let go of Mariku's arm, whipping around to face his father, shaking like a leaf. He did his best to conceal the beer bottle behind his back. "Dad, I swear, I can explain-"

The man laughed harshly before advancing towards his son, his malevolent smile still in place. "Oh, can you really? What's that you're hiding behind your back, boy?"

Malik continued to step backwards until he was brought to a halt when he ran into the sharp edge of the kitchen counter. He threw a fear-filled glance towards his brother, who could only avert his gaze, his violet eyes hidden by the blonde fringe of his hair. Malik turned his head back towards his father, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he stuttered his reply. "N-nothing. I'm not hiding anything, I promise."

His father moved fast, like a cobra striking its prey. Before any of them could even blink, the man had tore Malik's arm away from behind his back, gripping the limb in his bone-crushing grasp. He couldn't help but smile when the younger blonde cried out in pain, squeezing his eyes shut. Malik tried to squirm away, but his father held fast, tightening his grip on the already-bruised wrist even further.

The older man furrowed his eyebrows as Malik accidentally dropped the glass he had been concealing behind his back, the bottle shattering all across the floor. His father's pale lilac eyes were filled to the brim with amusement at the sight.

"Ah, I see. So it's _you_ who got into my stash, eh? I never would have guessed." Malik gasped in pain as his father pressed him even harder against the counter, the edge of the marble now digging into his hip. "Well, I'm not going to drone on any further. Up against the wall, bitch."

Before Malik or their father could make another move, Mariku broke his silence. "Dad, please stop-"

Their father's grin instantly changed into a heartless glower as he dropped his amused facade. "Don't tell me what to do, you little whore. Unless you want a turn, I would advise you to shut the fuck up."

Mariku took a single step towards his father, his palms raised slightly in a form of defense. "It wasn't Malik. It was me, I swear. Please don't hurt him, father. He doesn't deserve it..."

Their father's chilling smile was back yet again. "Volunteering, are you?"

The older blonde looked at his twin, then down to the floor. "I'll do anything. Just... j-just don't touch Malik, okay?"

The old man smirked as he let go of Malik's arm, making his way over to Mariku instead. He lifted one of his hands and cupped the older twin's cheek, chuckling softly as the boy grimaced. "I'll take you up on your offer, son. But that doesn't mean that your precious little brother will remain safe from harm."

Their father removed his hand from Mariku's cheek, moving his hands downward to unbuckle his belt. Both twins winced at the familiar sound.

"You know the procedure, Mariku. Spread 'em, you little slut," the man demanded, his voice as cold as ice. "And I don't want to hear any complaining from you, either. It'll only make it last longer."

Mariku complied, not daring to meet Malik's eyes. Not a moment too soon, the older twin had pressed himself up against the cabinets, the marble counter bending him over at the hip. His father grinned maliciously at the sight, coming up from behind his older son to hold him gently at the waist. He threw a soulless glance over his shoulder at Malik, who seemed to be frozen in place, his usually tan face appearing rather ashen.

"If you wish to watch, go right ahead. If not, I would recommend you get your ass up into your room before things get nasty."

Malik's gaze drifted over to Mariku's. The older twin's expression was desperately _pleading_ for him to go upstairs, but Malik couldn't make himself move from the spot even if he tried. Mariku shuddered as his father pressed his hips against the boy's ass, leaning forward to run his tongue along the shell of the blonde's ear. Mariku kept his watering eyes locked on Malik's as he silently mouthed the word 'go'.

Feeling tears brimming in his own eyes, Malik nodded reluctantly, forcing his frozen limbs to move as he began to back out of the kitchen. His heart was pounding furiously in his chest, tears now freely flowing down his cheeks as his entire body was racked with fear. A million voices were buzzing around in his head, but he knew he had to listen to the only one that mattered, and that was Mariku's.

The younger blonde dashed out of the kitchen in a panic before reaching the stairs, which he climbed clumsily, every inch of his body going haywire. Every second was a blur, and before he knew it, he was in his bed with the door slammed shut.

He buried his tear-soaked face into his pillow, sobbing beyond his control as his body shuddered violently. His heart felt plagued with anxiety and hopelessness, causing him feel sick to his stomach. He felt dizzy, too, as thousands and thousands of voices continued to scream deep within his mind, making his skull feel like it would split in two.

The screams of agony along with the groans of pure pleasure that were coming from the kitchen downstairs honestly made him want to throw up. He felt so weak. So _fucking_ weak.

It was times like these that Malik was sure that self-loathing would be all he would ever know.

* * *

The voices were gone, and the screams had ceased. All Malik felt now was a dull throbbing in his head, and the sticky tears that had dried long ago.

He felt unbelievably disgusting.

He could've saved Mariku... if it weren't for his own pathetic weakness. Malik could have at least taken the punishment for him. But, once again, Malik remained a mere bystander as his beloved brother was drowning in horrid agony. All he could do was watch, and yet that alone made him feel like the lowest scum on the face of the Earth.

Malik took in a shaky breath, cuddling into his blankets in an effort to sooth the tremors that ran throughout his system. Unfortunately, it was completely useless. Nothing could ever offer him consolation at a time like this.

That is, until he heard a knock at his bedroom door.

He considered ignoring the knock due to the possibility that it could've been his father, but he knew that if that man had desired access to his room, he would've simply barged right in.

Sluggishly sitting up, Malik rubbed his puffy, red eyes before padding over to the door. He gripped the cold brass doorknob with a shaky hand, turning it until he heard a soft 'click'.

Before he could even crack the door open, Malik only saw a flash of gold before he found himself in a suffocating hug. Having had the air knocked out of him, the small blonde stumbled backwards, gasping as his attacker buried his face into his neck.

"M-Mariku... can't breathe..." Malik managed to force the hoarse words past his lips.

The older twin only loosened his grip slightly, but removed his face from Malik's neck so he could look his brother in the eyes. Mariku rested his palm against Malik's cheek, softly caressing his soft skin with his thumb. The taller blonde's eyebrows were furrowed, his dark amethyst eyes filled to the brim with concern for his brother.

"I was so worried about you, Malik..." Mariku murmured softly, gently wiping away a tear that had slipped out of the corner of his twin's melancholy eyes. "Please tell me you're alright... _please_..."

"Me?" Malik looked rather baffled for a moment. "You're worried about _me_? What about _you_, Mariku? You're the one who has been hurt here, not me..."

Mariku stubbornly shook his head, causing his blonde bangs to sway slightly. "I deserved it. I'm the one who got us in trouble here. All of this happened just because of my idiocy."

The younger of the two twins sighed softly, averting his gaze down to his carpeted flooring. "Things have gotten stressful, I know. Trust me, I understand completely. You needed to find a way to numb your anxiety, and alcohol was your method of doing so. You don't have to beat yourself up about it."

Mariku let go of Malik, proceeding to walk past his twin to sit down on the bed. The blonde drew his legs up towards his chest, resting his chin on his kneecaps. Malik joined his brother on the bed, tenderly situating himself next to Mariku. There was a moment of silence before the older of the two piped up.

"I should have listened to you. I _never_ fucking listen to you. God, it's all my fault-"

Malik instantly interrupted his brother before he could go any further. "How do you think I feel, huh? I watched you get pinned against the wall by our bastard father, and I didn't even _try_ to stop him. I'm fucking disgusting. I just left you there, helpless, and you're the one who's worrying about _me_?

Mariku narrowed his eyes. "We both know that things would've only gotten worse if you stepped in. Don't give me that crap."

The younger blonde's lilac eyes began to water yet again, which Mariku instantly wiped away with his thumb. "I couldn't even stop him if I tried. I'm so pathetic, Mariku. Why do I have to be so weak...?"

Malik sniffled as Mariku wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close to his chest. The shorter blonde instantly welcomed the familiar warmth, curling against his brother's strong body as he finally released all of his pent-up tears.

"Malik... you can't think that way about yourself. You're too beautiful and perfect to even dare to question yourself that way. Do you not realize that?" Mariku whispered into his twin's soft blonde hair.

Malik's body shuddered before he nodded against Mariku's chest.

The older twin sighed softly through his nose before gently pulling away from the warm embrace. Mariku stared into his brother's eyes with an overwhelming intensity that even Malik couldn't help but nervously look away, towards the chipping wall. However, he was forced to meet Mariku's gaze as the older boy gripped his chin so that he couldn't look away even if he tried. Their faces were so close; Malik could feel his twin's breath brushing across his own lips.

"Malik, stop. Please just stop. I can't stand watching someone as gorgeous as you talk that way. I feel like there's no possibility for me to get anything I say through that thick skull of yours." Mariku huffed, still glaring intensely. "You're not fucking weak, so stop saying so. You're not disgusting, not even in the slightest. I truly can't wait for the day that you realize that."

Malik found himself to be shaking with a mixture of a thousand emotions as Mariku brought their faces even closer, their lips barely brushing. His heartbeat went erratic within his throbbing chest.

"But I guess that day won't be coming for a while now. Until then, I guess I'll just have to... kiss the pain away..." Mariku murmured against his brother's lips.

Malik's eyes went impossibly wide as he felt his twin gently press his lips against his own. The feeling was indescribably wonderful; it felt as if it were something from one of his wildest dreams. But this felt too real to be a dream, and everything was so much more confusing than in his fantasies.

Everything in Malik's brain seemed to be shutting down, and the only things he were aware of were the soft lips against his own and the pounding in his ears. He felt frozen once again, completely petrified. But he wasn't petrified by fear this time, in fact, it was the complete opposite.

The supposedly one-sided feelings he felt towards his twin since they were children were finally being returned after all these years, and Malik truly couldn't be happier. He went so very long thinking that Mariku would never dare feel the same way, but every single kiss Malik felt against his lips denied that accusation. Malik was ecstatic. This was all too good to be true, and the fact that it _was _true made his heart beat even faster.

Malik felt like he had to pinch himself to awake from this wonderful dream. But he would never awake; this was really happening. This was really, _really_ happening!

Malik was suddenly overcome with such adoration for his twin that he instinctively wrapped his arms around his neck, returning and deepening the kiss simultaneously. He felt heat settle deep in the pit of his stomach as he heard his twin moan in the back of his throat.

The two twins fell back against the bed, clutching desperately at each other's bodies as they both moaned into the heated kiss. Malik wrapped his legs around his brother's waist, pressing their hips together in a desperate attempt to bring their bodies closer. Mariku slipped his tongue inside of Malik's mouth, reveling in the sweet taste that was his brother. Malik gently pushed his tongue against Mariku's, but he put forth little effort into taking control of the kiss. It felt so much better to have Mariku dominate him.

The younger twin fisted his brother's black shirt, his body shaking with pleasurable tremors as Mariku sucked on his tongue all while running his palms over Malik's toned chest and abdomen. _God_, it all just felt so amazing.

When the two of them both needed their precious oxygen, they broke the kiss and stared into each other's identical eyes, panting softly. Mariku brushed a few stray blonde hairs out of Malik's flushed face, smiling gently at his wanton expression.

A silent message was passed between the two of them as they both pulled into another kiss.

Maybe they _could_ be happy after all.

**END OF CHAPTER 2**

* * *

End Note: *sigh* This chapter took me way too long to write. I kept rewriting and editing out parts, but no matter what I did, it always seemed way too rushed. I know, I know. Malik and Mariku's relationship is moving way too fast, but I can't seem to fix it. I don't know, what do you guys think?


	3. Abomination

**Author's Note:**I seriously had to kick my own ass to get this chapter done. Y'know, with school starting and all. Thank you guys for reviewing last chapter; you really make my day! I'm so happy that you guys like this story, especially since I was so hesitant to post it in the first place. For obvious reasons.

Anyhow, here's the next chapter. It's a bit longer than the others, so take this as an apology for the long wait.

* * *

**Chapter 3 - "Abomination"**

The first thing Malik saw was a blinding light. His tired and bleary lilac eyes instinctively squinted the second Ra's rays penetrated through his sheer white curtains, pooling and burning over his cotton bed sheets. Unadulterated tranquility seemed to encircle its way around the small bedroom, amplified by the calming sound of birds chirping outside of the broad windows.

The young Egyptian boy couldn't help but smile, for these were one of the few and rare mornings where everything in his world seemed to be perfect, as if nothing was ever wrong in the first place. For once his body wasn't wracked with debilitating anxiety, and his heart wasn't weighed down by the troubling thoughts and desires that emanated from his twisted soul. In the light of his modest bedroom, and in the solace of his unusually warm sheets, everything seemed... almost _simple_. His world, for the time being, was completely void of his abusive father, his inadvertently seductive brother, and his anxious and pressuring sister. Malik was finally free to smile.

That is, until he heard a light snore coming from the other side of the bed.

His heart nearly came to a halt as memories of the previous night flooded his mind like a tsunami. The rush was so overwhelming, he nearly thought he was going to upchuck right there in his bed.

The rape, the tears, the screams... it all came back to him at once. It was sickening, truly, and he felt a queasiness permeate his entire body, all the way to his curled toes. His heart thudded relentlessly in his aching chest, and it honestly made him wonder if one day the organ would explode from the constant impact. Malik turned his head ever so slowly to the right, not at all surprised when he found a second body underneath his creamy white sheets.

Mariku was fast asleep, snoring loudly and deeply without a care in the world. His harsh breathing caused his platinum bangs to flutter slightly every moment or so, and his face was completely serene. For once the boy's face wasn't adorned with an egotistical smirk. Instead, his handsome features were so lax that he looked nearly innocent. Malik's heart beat even faster as his eyes wandered down his toned body, examining every single detail of his flawless twin. Mariku's lanky form was barely covered by the bed's blankets, leaving little to the imagination.

The older boy's shirt had obviously been torn off some time during the events of the night before, revealing quite the expanse of his taut abdomen and smooth chest. Malik quickly took notice of the dark bruises around his waist, wincing as he remembered the cruel and inhumane way his father had shoved him against the counter. Minus the minor injuries littering the boy's hips and stomach, Mariku's mocha-colored skin was practically the definition of perfection. Malik found his hungry and lecherous gaze to be drifting upward, studying the way his brother's chest rose and fell with every intake of breath.

Malik felt a familiar warmth settle deep in the pit of his stomach as he was overcome with the urge to touch his twin, to make him moan again and again like he did the previous night. He remembered how beautiful it sounded when his twin vocalized his pleasure, how good it made him feel to hear Mariku whisper his name in that deep baritone voice of his. _Gods_, it had only been one night, but Malik was already addicted.

Chewing anxiously on his lower lip, Malik got on his hands and knees and tentatively crawled over to the form of his slumbering twin. He could feel that unmistakable warmth permeate from the boy's skin, making Malik's heart race even faster. He hovered above Mariku predatorily, his breathing heavy and hot as he lowered his face down into the crook of his brother's neck. The younger of the two twins pressed a gentle kiss to Mariku's soft skin, proceeding to skim his pink lips over the caramel flesh as he purred deep in his throat. Malik's dexterous tongue slipped out of his mouth, sliding it against Mariku's sweaty flesh as he savored the sweet taste. His long and tantalizingly slow lick left a trail of saliva in its wake as the younger boy reluctantly pulled away. Hearing a soft and irritated grumble from the boy beneath him, Malik smiled. Mariku was finally beginning to awake.

The older twin's dark cerulean eyes cracked open sluggishly, fogged over by a good night's sleep. However, this languish immediately dissipated as he became conscious of the predicament he was in. Mariku wasn't quite used to the sight of a half-naked Malik straddling him, and it most definitely took him by surprise.

Malik chortled at his brother's baffled expression before leaning down to give him a meaningful kiss on the cheek. He hesitantly pulled away, but still kept the distance between their faces a few scant inches.

"Good morning, Mariku." Malik murmured, lowering his eyelids.

The scandalous boy didn't receive a vocal response, but he was graced with a gentle kiss on the lips. Mariku didn't waste a single second before deciding to deepen the kiss, slipping his hot tongue through Malik's moistened lips. The younger twin welcomed the intrusion as he lovingly caressed his brother's tongue with his own.

Pulling away with a wet smacking sound, the two twins smiled at each other, pretending for the moment that everything was okay and that nothing was wrong. Malik buried his face into his brother's neck, softly nuzzling a dark hickey that he had left on Mariku's throat the night before. He sighed in contentment as he felt the older boy's strong arms wrap loosely around his back, rubbing comforting circles onto the silky bare skin.

Mariku chuckled to himself before speaking, his hoarse voice cracking slightly. "You sure seem happy this morning."

The younger blonde grinned mischievously, tucking a few strands of Mariku's hair behind his ear. "I think I slept better last night than I have in years."

Mariku gathered his twin in his arms, holding their warm bodies flush against each other. He smirked before flipping Malik over so his back was against the mattress, proceeding to crawl on top of the other boy while licking his lips hungrily. "You're welcome, baby."

Malik snorted disapprovingly at the rather effeminate and cliché nickname. "Did you just call me _baby_?"

"Maybe I did," Mariku murmured softly. The dominant of the two then leaned down, his hot breath ghosting over Malik's already burning flesh as he began to suck eagerly at the skin underneath his jaw. Said blonde gasped in both surprise and pleasure, immediately tilting his head back against the pillows as his mouth hung agape. Mariku continued his greedy sucking until he was satisfied with the blood-red mark that was left on his twin's already dark skin. "Is that a problem?"

The shorter brother had to take a moment to control his panting, his brain-function going fuzzy after the unexpected amount of pleasure caused by his sibling's hot and wet mouth. He couldn't even remember what was being asked of him at the moment.

"Y-you're really good at that..." Malik whispered, dismissing his brother's question completely. The boy was still slightly dazed. "You're such a good kisser, 'Riku. It makes me wonder... is this your first time? Being romantically involved with someone, I mean."

Mariku chuckled in that deep and rich voice of his, finding the blush on Malik's tan cheeks to be rather amusing. "Hm... I can't say that it is. I've hooked up with quite a few lucky guys and girls in my lifetime. The relationships never really worked out, to be honest. I had never felt a genuine connection with any of them..."

Malik's lower lip jutted out in a pout. The thought of Mariku with anyone else other than himself was quite upsetting. And slightly unnerving.

The older twin had to make himself refrain from swatting the boy below him on his pretty little head as he saw the look of disappointment morph his features. "Come _on_. Are you seriously getting jealous right now?"

Malik averted his gaze, his face flushing to a dark red color. "No..."

Mariku wasn't convinced. "Do you really think that I would choose someone else over you, even after all the shit we've been through together?"

Malik's scarlet face deepened in color as he began to chew on his lower lip out of habit.

The older twin gently lifted his brother's chin, forcing two pairs of lilac and blue eyes to meet. Mariku placed a sentimental kiss on Malik's soft pastel-colored lips before speaking in a hushed tone. "I love you, brother. I always have, and I always will. Don't you dare think anything different."

Malik's heart was surely going to burst at this point. It had been his unattainable dream to hear Mariku say those words for as long as he could remember. This was all too good to be true! It finally seemed as if Malik _could_ have a happy ending after all.

"Thank you so much, big brother." Malik wrapped his arms loosely around Mariku's neck, nuzzling his cheek gently against his twin's. "For loving me."

Mariku chuckled that infamous laugh of his, sending a shiver down the younger's spine as he nuzzled back. The intimacy of their actions made Malik's heart practically melt. "You don't have to thank me, love. Say, we should probably be heading downstairs right about now. We don't want dad or Isis catching us, now do we?"

The other blonde made an unsettled face at the thought. He was truly in no mood to have his rare exuberance spoiled by his father's unfathomable rage. Malik did not have a single doubt that if his dad found the two twins in the predicament that they currently were in, they would have absolutely zero chance of making it out alive. "Alright. Go grab your shirt and we'll head down to the kitchen."

Mariku nodded, immediately crawling out of his warm spot on the bed. He glanced around the room in a mundane manner, his dull blue eyes scanning the cluttered floor for his missing shirt. Once he found the article of clothing, he lifted his arms and pulled on the black shirt, the material slightly wrinkled from the previous night's activities. Mariku winked at his scantly dressed brother before exiting the room and making his way down the stairs.

Malik sighed softly to himself, blowing a lock of blonde hair out of his ruddy face before slipping clumsily out of his bed, quickly grabbing a shirt from atop his dresser. The boy got dressed with great speed, proceeding to follow the path his twin took and leaving the room, being sure to close the door behind him.

The blonde twin padded softly down the uncarpeted stairs with bare feet, wrapping his arms around himself and keeping his vibrant eyes glued to the floor he tread upon. He heard the clanking of dishes and spoons in the kitchen, and the comforting sound of Mariku's quiet humming. Malik soon found said twin sitting atop the marble counter, busying himself with a bowl of cereal. Mariku smacked while eating the bland breakfast food, paying no heed to his brother as he entered the kitchen as well.

Malik smirked at the bored look on Mariku's weary face. "It's rude to smack, you know."

The older twin simply stuck out his long pink tongue in response, continuing his obnoxious smacking despite his brother's irritated growl.

The shorter blonde strode over to the cabinets, preparing to fetch his own bowl for his breakfast. However, his actions were put to a halt as their home phone began to ring, causing both of the two sleepy teens to flinch.

"I'll get it," Malik huffed, dropping everything that he was doing and waltzing over to their phone that was still blaring obnoxiously. Lifting it up from its plastic cradle that was mounted upon the drywall, the boy pressed the 'talk' button and proceeded to press the device against his ear.

Feigning a sweet and innocent tone of voice, Malik spoke into the phone with a small smile gracing his lips. "Ishtar residence. To whom may I be speaking?"

/"Hey, Malik! It's Ryou. I was wondering if you and Mariku would like to go get breakfast down at the café with Bakura and I. Y'know, we haven't talked for ages and all, and I think it's a nice way to catch up."/

Malik smiled even wider at the sound of the familiar British accent, one that he hadn't heard for months. He truly couldn't remember the last time he had spoken with his albino best friend; he'd just been so busy with all of this Mariku business that he never really got a chance to hang out with some of the most valued people in his life. "It's so nice to hear from you, Ryou! I'd love to come."

He could almost hear the grin on the other line. /"That's fantastic! I guess I'll have to go drag Bakura out of bed now. I truly can't believe how much of a bum he's become."/

The blonde snorted. "And he wasn't one before?"

Malik heard a short giggle through the speaker. /"Good point. I'll meet you in 10, yes?"/

The Egyptian nodded, despite the fact that he was speaking to Ryou through a phone and he couldn't see any of his movements. "Sounds great. See you there, Ry!"

/"Goodbye, Malik!"/

The younger twin heard the line go dead. Settling the phone back in its cradle, Malik spun around with a beaming grin on his face, not at all surprised to find a scowling Mariku glaring back at him.

"That was Ryou you were speaking to, wasn't it?" he growled under his breath.

Mariku and Ryou had never been on good terms with one another. It was a sort of one-sided rivalry – unbeknownst to Malik's brother. Mariku had always held a grudge against the albino since the day he and Malik had become best friends 10 years ago.

The older twin's protective instincts granted him the ability to see right through Ryou's sweet and innocent exterior, or so he says. He was constantly trying to keep the two friends apart – often to no avail. Ryou, however, had remained completely oblivious to Mariku's glares year after year. Malik found the entire situation to be simultaneously flattering and rather comical. It was nice to know that someone cared for his wellbeing as much as Mariku did, but at times it began to come across as quite excessive and even irritating.

"Oh, hush. Stop being such a mother hen." Malik joked lightly, internally celebrating when an expression of malice crossed his twin's features. "When are you finally going to grow up and learn that Ryou is a caring and trustworthy friend, not some deceitful little bastard you make him out to be?"

Mariku quirked a smile, turning his attention back to his cereal. The boy distastefully prodded at the sugar flakes with his spoon. "When that little prick rips out your spinal cord and strangles you with it, you better not come crying to me. I'll have one thing to say to you, little love, and that's 'I told you so'."

Malik couldn't help but snicker at his brother's vulgar humor. "Whatever you say, 'Riku. Now go grab your coat; we're going down to the café to meet up with Bakura and 'that little prick'."

"Oho, no way in hell. I'm perfectly comfortable right here, thank you very much." Mariku shot back immediately.

Malik's lips puckered as he crossed his arms in a pout. "Why not? It's only for breakfast."

"I value my spine, little brother."

The younger of the two Egyptians sighed heavily in frustration. "Fine. Stay here, but I'm going."

Malik spun around and began to make his way to the front door with haste. Dropping his stubborn little façade along with his spoon, Mariku followed Malik and gathered his twin into his arms. Spinning him around once again and pulling their bodies as close together as possible, the older brother tilted Malik's chin upwards so that their lips were barely a hair's breadth away from each other.

"You're not going to give me a goodbye kiss before you bid me farewell, huh?" Mariku murmured, his voice low and deep as he ran his right hand through Malik's hair, the other resting on the small of his back.

Malik's face turned an interesting shade of beet red. He chewed anxiously on the inside of his cheek, contemplating whether or not to comply with his brother's wishes. Deciding to go with the option that would most likely avoid an argument, Malik pecked Mariku's soft and waiting lips with a discreet little kiss. Mariku squeezed his eyes shut and tangled his fingers into his twin's hair, desperately trying to deepen the kiss as he slicked Malik's lips with his eager tongue. Malik, however, was quick to grasp his brother's shoulders and shove him away harshly. Mariku stumbled back, his face conveying his bewilderment.

"Are you _trying_ to get us caught?" Malik hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously as he simultaneously attempted to keep his voice below a whisper.

Mariku lifted his arm, wiping off some of the saliva that still glistened on his lips after the kiss with his sleeve. "Sorry. Got a bit carried away."

Malik smiled in spite of himself. "You think?"

"Have fun, little brother," Mariku hugged his twin tightly, burying his face into the soft golden tresses and inhaling the familiar sent of lavender. "Be safe."

Malik ruffled his brother's hair affectionately and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek. He slipped out of their embrace and padded over to the coat rack, proceeding to pull on a heavy coat and get into his winter boots. While he buckled his boots, Malik kept his eyes trained on Mariku, a small hint of a smirk accenting his flushed face. "I'll be back soon. Call me if you need anything, alright?"

"Alright." Mariku replied out of habit.

He watched as his little brother ran a single hand through his mussed platinum hair and made his way over to the the front door, gripping the bronze knob lightly. "Bye, Mariku. Try not to miss me too much."

Mariku waved absentmindedly as Malik cracked open the door, causing a swift gust of winter wind to sweep through the room briefly. The younger of the two threw one last smile towards his brother before exiting the house into the cold December air, locking the door soundly behind himself.

The entire household instantly became void of all sound. Mariku stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. The cold from the outdoors clung to the air, causing goosebumps to form on his arms. Now rubbing incessantly at his chilled skin, Mariku stalked back into the kitchen. The boy's weary mauve eyes ran lazily over the mess of cups and dishes that were strewn across the marble counter. A languid sigh forced its way past his slightly swollen lips.

Deciding to skirt a conflict with his father, Mariku sluggishly began to stack the dirty dishes into his arms. After piling up the china inside the sink, Mariku put the faucet on full blast as he fetched himself a sponge and began to scrub at the bits of food that clung to the dishes. The boy was forced to role his sleeves up after the murky soap water stained the hem of the cloth.

Mariku growled softly to himself as he scrubbed at a stubborn bit of food with great fervor, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. His attention was so caught up in the labor that he didn't even hear a second person enter the room.

Isis, who was still in her nightgown, entered the room without a sound. Her dark ebony hair was pulled into a loose and messy ponytail, causing her to occasionally brush a stray strand back behind her ear every once in awhile. Her dark blue eyes remained trained on her brother as she made her way over to the coffee maker. She turned her attention the kitchen appliance, pressing the 'on' button. The coffee maker beeped obnoxiously, and the abrupt sound seemed to finally catch Mariku's attention. The boy spun around with haste, causing the plate he was scrubbing to clatter into the sink.

"You scared the shit outta me, Isis!" he very nearly yelled.

Isis's neutral expression didn't falter. Her intelligent eyes seemed to hold some sort of hidden knowledge; as if she knew of a secret that Mariku wasn't aware of.

"I'm sorry," she deadpanned. A shiver ran down Mariku's spine.

Mariku eyed his big sister suspiciously, slowly turning off the running faucet and drying his hands with a ragged wash cloth. "Are you feeling alright? You're acting strange. Well, stranger than usual."

The Egyptian girl didn't even dare to crack a smile. She simply drifted her gaze back to the coffee maker, watching as the dark and steaming liquid filled her mug to the brim. Mariku continued to eye her vigilantly as she took her mug to the dining table and sat down tentatively, instantly beginning to drink the coffee without even adding milk or waiting for it to cool. With her free hand, Isis dragged a newspaper from the center of the table towards her, unfolding it and smoothing out the wrinkles. Her dull eyes scanned absentmindedly over the black and white words, all while she ignored her brother's perplexed and questioning gaze.

"Isis? Are you _ignoring_ me?" Mariku questioned disbelievingly. Isis didn't respond once again.

Shrugging to himself, the blonde boy took a seat across from his sister and rested his chin in his palm. His long nails idly tapped on the polished wood of the table. The soft clicking noise was the only sound that could be heard in the otherwise muted room.

Mariku ceased the nervous movement the second Isis's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Ever since Mariku was a child, he had always had a habit of playing with his nails when he was anxious, a gesture that irked Isis to no end.

"Stop that." Isis hissed, her eyes flashing.

Mariku snorted childishly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair. He wasn't threatened in the slightest; in fact, he was rather amused by his usually composed sister's disturbing antics.

"Yeesh. What's your problem, sis?"

That seemed to send Isis over the edge. Her nails dug into the paper she was reading, tearing through the delicate material and obscuring the text that was imprinted upon it. "You wanna know what my problem is, _brother_?"

Her normally warm sapphire eyes were now stone cold; the cruel and unforgiving gaze made Mariku shrink back in his chair. It felt as if her eyes could burrow into his skin and peer into his darkest thoughts and most atrocious desires, as if he were being stripped bare. And her voice... it was filled to the brim with such hatred and malice that the once symphonic noise no longer sounded like it belonged to her at all. It was void of all tenderness and empathy.

It sounded like... their father.

"You really wanna know?" Isis's eyes began to water. She looked devastated, enraged, guilty, and disgusted all at the same time. "Are you really that dense?"

Mariku's heart felt as if it were iced over by a malicious frost. It pounded both madly and lifelessly within his throbbing chest. "I-Isis... I don't understand-"

"Like _hell_ you don't! You may be able to fool our father, but you won't be able to fool me!" Isis was nearly shaking with rage at this point. "You know exactly what you did, _little brother_. Denial is only going to make you look more pathetic."

Mariku's heart and breathing very nearly stopped altogether. She wouldn't... she couldn't... there was no way she knew... there was no way at all! "Isis, what the hell are you talking about?!"

"YOU FUCKED YOUR OWN TWIN AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN GOING TO OWN UP TO IT?"

For the first time in his life, Mariku felt truly petrified. The second Isis's harsh words left her lips, he could've vomited all over the tabletop. His entire world seemingly lurched in such a sickening manner that his vision went out of kilter for just a second. His very soul was frozen to the core with simultaneous disbelief and unhindered fear.

_Oh god..._

There was no way... absolutely _no way_ she could have heard them! Malik and Mariku had both made sure that Isis was going to be gone that night! SO HOW COULD SHE OF KNOWN? IT JUST DIDN'T ADD UP!

The possibility of her uncovering their secret was zero to none... but here she stood, heavy tears leaking silently down her devastated face as the crushing weight of the unconcealed secret weighed down on both of them to the point that Mariku was nearly positive that he would black out.

He watched with bated breath as his sister gasped out a wretched and horribly broken sob, dropping her face into her hands as her shoulders shook with cries. Mariku was silent then, not daring to shatter his careful quietude.

Isis continuously whimpered the word 'why' into her hands, her cracking voice heavily muffled. Never before had Mariku seen his dear sister as heartbroken as she was now. The whole situation felt... surreal. He just hoped that this was all a nightmare and that he would wake soon. He wasn't sure how much more anguish he could take.

"Isis..." Her name was the first word to leave Mariku's lips since the breakdown had begun, and his voice conveyed every emotion that his shadowed heart locked deep within its recesses. The voice was hoarse, desperate, and fearful all swirled into one pathetic mess.

Isis slowly but surely removed her reddened face from her hands, revealing those imploring blue eyes of hers, those eyes that were drowning in myriad tears. The tracks of her teardrops glistened slightly under the cheap light of the kitchen.

"Why, Mariku? Why _him_?" Her voice was now void of all anger, leaving only desperation and sorrow in its wake.

Mariku answered the only way his shattered heart knew how. "I love him."

Isis's expression was unreadable at this point. Her hands were clenched in her lap so tightly that her knuckles turned white under the dark skin. "He's your brother, Mariku. Did that ever occur to you? Did you never once stop and think that what you are doing is _wrong_?"

Mariku swallowed heavily, salivating his dry mouth. The boy's clematis eyes drifted down to the table. "He's so much more to me than a brother. He honestly feels like the second half of my soul..." Mariku smiled the smile of a specter despite himself and the dire circumstances. "I can't live without my light, Isis. He's the love of my life, and nothing can change that."

Isis merely leered at her brother. "_Disgusting_."

Mariku's eyes snapped up to his sister's, now adorning a soulless glare of his own. "Do not speak of matters that you do not understand."

Isis let out a harsh laugh. "Oh no, I think I understand completely. You took advantage of your own little brother when he was at his weakest, then you try to tell me that you committed that heinous act out of sheer _love_? Absolutely atrocious."

Mariku felt an unfathomable rage bubble up within his chest, threatening to boil over. "SHUT UP! YOU JUST DON'T GET IT! I LOVE HIM, ISIS! I _LOVE_ HIM!"

Despite her brother's screams, Isis's expression remained perfectly neutral. "Do you really, Mariku?"

The answer was both panicked and automatic. "Y-YES!"

"Do you truly love Malik, or are you just simply putting on a façade to prevent him from being broken further?" The question was spoken with such apathy... Mariku truly felt as if he were speaking to his father.

"I..."

"Yes?" Isis pressed further.

"I d-don't... I DON'T KNOW!" And with that, Mariku's face was buried within his sleeve. He didn't want Isis to see his tears. He didn't want her to see the abomination he'd become.

**END OF CHAPTER 3**

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**End Note: **I think I accidentally just made Isis bipolar. Oops.


	4. Empathy

**Chapter 4 - "Empathy"**

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_**5 years ago...**_

The fragrant autumn air was overflowing with the familiar sounds of childish giggles and boisterous shouts, unmistakable within the usually noiseless neighborhood. Such a merry sound could only be heard at the fresh start of the school year in Domino, for the young students were always eager to converse with their peers after a long summer of family trips and long-distance calls.

The only sound that could manage to be louder was the screeching of a yellow bus's rubber wheels upon pavement. The school bus came to a sudden halt, and not a moment too soon. The second the bus doors slid open, a seemingly myriad number of students jumped out in a disarray, all with broad grins on their faces and light book bags on their backs.

Barely a moment after filing out of the bus, the children all halted their endless conversations to glance up at the sky with bright and innocent doe-like eyes. The solemn sky that hung heavily above them was tinted a dark gray; weighted black clouds threatened to storm at any moment. Instantly, about half of the children reached around to yank their umbrellas from the belt loops of their school uniforms. Those who weren't in possession of a much-needed umbrella proceeded to duck their heads and noticeably hurry their pace.

One child, however, remained completely neutral to the impending rainfall that was inevitably soon to come. A twelve year-old Mariku Ishtar blinked his lavender eyes mundanely as he watched his fellow students squeal in both delight and panic as the first cold drops of rain fell atop their heads. He suppressed the urge to sigh, instead turning his attention the much more exciting pavement. The boy kicked a small pebble while he walked along, watching as it scampered forward a few feet on the sidewalk before lying motionless once again.

Not a single one of the other children dared to throw even a single glance Mariku's way; it was a well-known fact throughout the school that the strange boy had an unfathomable temper, one that could spark to life with even a simple shove. The majority of the students simply ignored the Egyptian, as they had been doing since the early years of grade school.

Everyone remembered the day in kindergarten when Mariku and his much less terrifying twin had transferred from the mysterious and faraway land of Egypt. They didn't exactly fit in, though that is no surprise. While most of the students had black hair and dark brown eyes, the two twins were different in that they both had soft lilac eyes and long, exotic blonde hair. The strangest thing had to be their dark brown skin, a pigmentation that was completely alien to the citizens of Domino.

Malik, the younger of the two, made friends almost instantly with both boys and girls. He was born social and, unlike Mariku, had the ability to convey compassion and sympathy towards his fellow students. Practically everyone loved him, teachers and students alike, and he very nearly fit in with the crowd seamlessly.

Despite this fact, Mariku could spot his brother no matter what the circumstances. The older of the two twins looked up from the dampened sidewalk and readjusted the shoulder strap on his book bag. His apathetic eyes instantly recognized the familiar flash of bright platinum hair in the bustling crowd of noisy children. The rain was falling in greater amounts now as he cupped his mouth with both his hands and called to his little brother.

Malik, who had been rather busy chatting away with two giggling girls, spun around in an instant. His eyes visibly brightened when he spotted his big brother, and he waved to him with the hand that wasn't gripping the strap of his book bag, a soft smile on his face. The group of students he was conversing with not a moment ago had widened their eyes as they watched Mariku approach shyly. They all backed away and huddled into their own little groups, praying that Mariku wouldn't dare to acknowledge them. Malik ignored his friends and halted for his twin, smile still in place, his left hand extended.

Mariku felt his heart flutter if only for an instant. It had been doing that quite often nowadays. However, Mariku guessed that that was simply how all siblings felt when around one another, so he paid no heed to it. The older boy graciously accepted his brother's soft and warm hand with his own cold one. Mariku, despite the chilly weather, felt his stomach heat up as he laced his fingers through Malik's. It was an innocent little gesture, one that the twins had always done subconsciously. Mariku couldn't help but notice that they had been doing it much more often as of late.

The two children continued their walk home, hand in hand. Malik threw a glance towards Mariku through the corner of his eye.

"Don't mind my friends, Mariku," Malik murmured softly, squeezing his big brother's small hand. "They would like you if they gave you a chance. Trust me."

Mariku shrugged and rubbed at his reddened nose with the sleeve of his sweater; the cold was getting to him. "It's alright if they dislike me. They wouldn't be the first."

Malik gazed up at Mariku sympathetically. However, the older boy kept his lavender eyes glued to the rain-soaked pavement, avoiding Malik's own imploring eyes. The younger of the two took that as a sign to change the subject.

"How was your first day, 'Riku?" Malik questioned, curiosity lacing his words.

Mariku shrugged again before shivering as the raindrops grew in number, soaking through his thin sweater and chilling him to the bone. "My teachers seem nice. Well, nicer than usual. I was only scolded _once_ throughout the entire day. That's a new record."

Malik grinned mischievously up at his taller brother. "What did you do this time?"

The older of the two smirked knowingly. "I pushed a kid off of the monkey bars on the playground," Mariku grinned. "He had to get a couple of stitches after the fall."

Malik couldn't help but giggle, elbowing his twin in the ribs. The action was playful, but hard enough to express the younger's disapproval at the same time. Malik knew it was Isis's place to do the scolding, not his.

"You're such a jerk, Mariku!" Malik wailed childishly, though the biting words harbored absolutely no contempt. Instead, they conveyed an unsurpassable amount of affection. Malik couldn't be more aware that his brother's unruly behavior was completely unacceptable, but he had to admit that it had become a part of the boy's personality that he had learn to adore.

The two laughed then, carefree and innocent. The two twins couldn't care less about the icy chill of rain that stained their clothes, or the frostbite that was nipping at their fingers. Both Mariku and Malik could only bask in the warmth of each other's soft smiles and childish chortles.

The two threw meaningless insults back and forth as they began their usual race back home, remaining undoubtedly competitive despite the fact that they were both struggling to keep their clothes completely clean of mud, fearing the inevitable wrath of Isis.

Mariku chased after his brother immediately after hearing him call the familiar words of, "Last one home is a rotten egg!"

Malik was agile as he climbed over a towering picket fence, one leg after another. He had to be careful to not catch his ankles on any of the overgrown weeds that clung to the wooden boards. Once he finally had himself perched atop the fence, Malik leaped off and into the backyard of some stranger. The boy grinned some more, blatantly ignoring the dewy grass that was soaking through his shoes.

Meanwhile, Mariku growled in frustration as he tried again and again to shake his foot free from the tangles of stubborn weed on the fence. Once he finally managed to tear his foot from the foliage, he clumsily stumbled onto the ground. After landing face-first into a cabbage garden, the older boy wobbled up onto shaky legs, throwing a heated glare towards the grass stains on his once clean clothes.

Mariku shook his head and chased after his brother once again, vaulting over a gate. It was there that he caught up to Malik, who was absolutely beaming with smugness. The younger boy's clothes were noticeably cleaner than his brother's.

"Come on, slow poke!" Malik called out, ignoring the exasperated glower he received.

Mariku stalked over to his twin wearily, trudging his book bag along with much difficulty. Malik's grin faded into a gentle, empathetic smile that he so often wore. He was most definitely not a wuss, but he was always willing to be soft around his brother. At least, when no one else was around to watch the two of them.

The younger boy cradled Mariku's frozen hand in his own once again, all while remaining wary of his brother's harsh temper. However, Mariku seemed too exhausted to even scowl.

Malik batted his eyelashes in his twin's direction, studying his face curiously. "Today really wore you out, didn't it?"

Mariku gave a curt nod.

The younger boy sighed through his nose. The sigh was not necessarily a sigh of languish, but more of understanding. "We'll walk the rest of the way home, okay?"

Mariku allowed himself a small smile of gratitude.

* * *

The two twins arrived home relatively on time, save a minute or two. They busted through the front door noisily, forgetting their manners, causing it to slam against the drywall with a loud bang. Malik let out a small 'eek' and cast a nervous glance toward Mariku, who grinned back at him devilishly as he took notice of a dark scuffmark that they had left on the once perfect paint job.

"Malik? Mariku? Is that you?" A stern feminine voice called from the kitchen before the soft padding of footsteps was heard.

The two boys were frozen in their tracks, their nearly identical eyes wide with shock as a figure appeared at the end of the hallway. It was a girl, around the age of about fifteen, who, despite her minuscule height, stood proudly in her place with her arms crossed and her chin held high. The girl's eyes were piercing as she examined the twins carefully, who were currently attempting - and failing - to conceal the numerous grass stains tainting their once fresh clothing.

The girl - Isis was her name - flipped her waist length hair behind her shoulder as she openly scrutinized her little brothers' appearances. Malik and Mariku stood there with nervous and flinching grins, waiting with debilitating anxiety for Isis's usual hour-long rant.

It never came. Instead, the girl simply rolled her eyes dramatically and scoffed.

"Typical," Isis said hotly. "What did you two do this time?"

The two boys shared a desperate glance before Mariku shouted out childishly, "It was Malik's idea!"

Malik glared at his brother, swatting him on the back of the head. "It's your own fault for playing along."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Well, you have stupid hair!" Malik shot back, causing Mariku to gasp incredulously.

"That was so uncalled for..." the older boy grumbled with a pout, rubbing the back of his head self-consciously.

"Shush, you two!" Isis hissed as she finally broke her silence, ceasing her brothers' otherwise endless bickering. "Just hand me your clothes and I'll get you guys washed up. Dad's on the phone out front, so he shouldn't notice."

Mariku stuck his tongue out at a glaring Malik before they obeyed their big sister's command and chased each other up the stairs, towards the bathroom.

Isis sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ra save them."

* * *

_**Present time...**_

Isis glanced over at the clock on the stove with weary eyes. It was already midnight, and she hadn't heard a single word from Mariku the entire day. Well, at least not since their fight...

She couldn't get the image of Mariku's panicked eyes out of her head, the pure fear that was so blatant in his irises. Isis had never seen her brother so pale before. It made her feel horribly guilty that she had confronted her brother like that, especially after all he had been through as of late. His body was still recovering from their father's most recent outburst, and yet Isis had carelessly piled yet another trouble onto Mariku's plate.

She hadn't necessarily _meant _to blow up on her brother like that, but she was just so overwhelmed with disbelief at the time. Things got out of hand, as things usually did in the Ishtar household.

But that still didn't excuse what they had done. Her stomach churned nauseously at the simple thought of the despicable act they had committed. Isis couldn't believe that they thought that they could get away with it, too!

But she was also puzzled. Why, after all that their father had done to them, would they willingly go and participate in an act so heinous? She would have thought that after being put through something so traumatizing, they would have been repulsed at any thought of physical contact.

Maybe Mariku was right, after all. Maybe she didn't understand their so-called 'love'. Maybe she never would.

With an exasperated sigh, Isis heaved herself up from the kitchen chair. Quite frankly, all this thinking about her brothers was making her both sick and exhausted. The only thing she really needed at the moment was a good long nap.

Wrapping her satin robe tighter around her slim body, Isis languidly made her way across the kitchen, flipping off the overhead lights so that the room was pitch black. As Isis slowly but surely climbed the stairs, she gripped the railing loosely with one hand, the other rubbing at her sleepy blue eyes. Once she reached the top, she couldn't help but notice that every bedroom in the hallway had its lights off - all but one.

That bedroom was Malik's.

Isis narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she padded over to the doorway, pressing her ear against the wall in hopes of catching her brothers in the act. However, all she heard was complete and unadulterated silence.

Isis sighed once again, gripping the bronze handle of the door and turning it slowly. She turned the knob until the door creaked open just halfway.

Isis peered inside of the room, eyes immediately locking onto the bed. She guessed right; both of her brothers were indeed under the covers. However, the two of them were both fast asleep, looking as content as well-fed kittens.

She arched one of her eyebrows questioningly, stepping inside of the room with caution. Upon closer inspection, Isis noticed that Malik had his head nuzzled under Mariku's, his breathing steady and even. Mariku had his arms wrapped protectively around his twin's slumbering form, his nose buried in Malik's mess of blonde hair.

Both of them had soft smiles on their faces, even in sleep. Isis hadn't seen them smile like that since... well, since their mom was alive.

Isis's harsh eyes softened, if even for just a moment. This was one of the rare times in which she was allowed to witness her brothers' love, untainted by lust or greed. This was pure love, unadulterated affection. She only wished that it were always this way.

Deciding to grant her twin brother's privacy, Isis slowly flipped off the light switch and backed out of the bedroom. She slowly closed the door, trying as hard as she could to avoid waking them.

Once the door was shut completely, Isis turned and made her way towards her own bedroom, but not before halting and throwing a glance behind her. She whispered three words, the same three words she had said all those years ago.

"Ra save them."

* * *

**End Note**: I had to delete and re-upload this chapter to make a couple of minor changes, so I apologize to anyone who might have received two update emails.

Read and review!


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